Worming methods

[bozbozboz]

Does anyone have any tips for worming a hen which is reluctant to eat? I want to get some wormer into my ailing hen as a last ditch attempt incase a worm burden is what is making her skinny and weak, but she's not a very enthusiastic eater at the moment and I cant afford for her to stop eating.

I'm getting flubenvet powder. Is there a way of popping a dose down her beak so she gets some regardless of whether she chooses to eat much? She's a little bantam, so half a grape is way too much, and she doesn't eat them anyway...

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you try to get Panacur horse paste from a feed supply store or vet, and give her 0.25 ml per pound once a day for 5 days? That would get most all chicken worms. If you only give it once and repeat it in 10 days, it would get many worms, except for capillary worms. Levamisole is another that you might find locally or from a vet.

 

[casportpony]

I think that Panacur and Safeguard paste in the UK are more concentrated than the stuff we have in the US.

 

[bozbozboz]

Yes, can do that. Thanks for the tip.

 

[casportpony]

Yes, can do that. Thanks for the tip.

For this liquid equine product, the dose is 0.23 ml per pound of body weight for 5 consecutive days.

For the 18.75% pastes below the dose for is 0.12 ml per pound of body weight for 5 consecutive days.

 

[Eggcessive]

Good info @casportpony .

 

[trudyg]

I think it was Dawg53 who explained how to give medicine to chickens to me. You get a small/narrow syringe without a needle (ask the pharmacist for one), get the medicine dose in the syringe. Now, after dark when they are all on the roost, pluck off one at a time (I use a flashlight that goes around your head and has a red light bulb, $12 at Lowes) and carry it to where you have your medicine ready. I usually do mine in the garage so I have good light. Hold the bird under one arm like a football and then, using the football hand, gently pull down on the wattles so the beak opens. You may need both hands and then just hold it with the single hand so you can do the syringe. With beak open, put the syringe in the mouth, kind of off to one side (their breathing hole is in the middle of their tongue and you don't want any getting in there) and smoothly squirt in the medicine. Go slow enough to not choke them and be prepared for them to shake their head. After several you'll get good at it, I know I did.

 

[casportpony]

Good info @casportpony .

I was surprised to find out that the UK pastes were so concentrated.

 

[casportpony]

With beak open, put the syringe in the mouth, kind of off to one side (their breathing hole is in the middle of their tongue and you don't want any getting in there) and smoothly squirt in the medicine.

This might help:
Safely Administering Oral Medications to All Poultry and Waterfowl

 

[bozbozboz]

@casportpony - thanks, really useful. Will see what my equine feed merchant has today. I only have a tube of strongid p in for the horses at the moment.